1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus operating by an application installed such as MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), a method of installing the application used in the image processing apparatus, and an installing program stored on a computer readable medium to make a compute in the image processing apparatus execute the processing of installing an application.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
For example, when various applications such as image-converting application are installed and operated in a multifunctional digital processing machine MFP, it is often difficult to install the applications because of the shortage in storage region needed for installation and to operate the applications because of the shortage in the memory range needed for operation. In addition, it is occasionally difficult to run the applications because of the shortage in processing capacity of MFP, lower operational speed, or lower efficiency in use.
When there is insufficiently resource available in MFP as described above, the manager often replaces the applications seldom used or turns off or eliminates the applications not in use manually, and reinstalls applications according to the condition of the apparatus.
On the other hand, methods of obtaining information on the applications used, judging the possibility of installing an application in the apparatus based on the application information, displaying the information on the operational panel for selection of installable applications are conventionally known for such apparatuses (for example, Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-127281).
However, it is quite laborsome to exchange applications, removing unused functions manually, or removing and reinstalling application manually according to the condition of the device, when there is restriction in the resource of the device such as memory capacity and processing capacity as in conventional devices. It is because it is necessary to eliminate and reinstall applications several times for installation, if there is no information on the resource for storage of existing applications and the resource for storage and operation of the applications to be installed. Even if the resource is secured, when operation of the functions is turned off or applications are eliminated, the application to be installed may not be sufficiently used when installed, if the application uses the functions or the applications above.
In addition, by the method described in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-127281, it is possible to select installable applications on the display panel, but the usable functions are limited to the functions of installable applications, and thus, the efficiency in use is lower.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.